Chapter 272
Chapter 272
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 272
Chapter Title: Holy Levintear Empire (3)
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The number of couriers and merchants coming and going through Paltennoia's gates, along with the margrave spies mixed among them, had more than tripled compared to the past few months.
Just as the gate guards' complaints of fatigue reached their peak, Fernandez felt the same—if he could voice it.
He was buried under a mountain of paperwork. Most of the imperial administrative nobles had been killed by the emperor, and those who survived were almost all corrupted. The capital's administration was effectively in a vacuum.
"I'm tired."
"So am I."
"Shall we rest?"
"We'll do that once this is done."
"How many times have you said that now?"
"The three hundred and twenty-fifth."
"I hate you."
"So do I."
Everize and Fernandez exchanged their routine banter while processing documents. Fernandez lacked official authority for any administrative duties in the capital.
Everize was not just an imperial princess; she was the Emperor's Chamberlain of the Inner Palace. Until the emperor's corruption, she had managed the Interior Ministry—the only high-ranking administrative noble left now.
Thus, Fernandez had practically kidnapped her and sat her down, demanding she sign the papers. He handled most of the work, so her role was simply to read the sorted documents once and sign them.
"Should we just stamp them all?"
"Someone has to review my work."
"...Have I ever been wrong? In the last two days?"
They had pulled two all-nighters, slept eight hours, then repeated the cycle.
For Fernandez, even that was a waste of time, but Everize had a body close to that of a civilian.
It was a hellish schedule, the bare minimum to maintain her condition.
Even as they spoke, Fernandez's eyes scanned the lines between the binder's pages, leaving red marks. Approve. Reject. Sign off. Remand...
"Can't you do it alone? You handle administration better than any noble I've seen... Wait, aren't you a priest? An inquisitor?"
"Correct."
"Isn't an inquisitor's main job grabbing heretics, dragging them to the stake, and lighting them up?"
That was the common prejudice of the era. The image the church itself promoted.
Inquisitors existed through fear, results, and rumors. Revealing themselves meant heretics were confirmed.
The church cunningly shaped public perception: terrifying, inexorable, mysterious experts. Fear of the indefinable suppressed heresy.
But it was a prejudice. Inquisitors spent most of their time at desks.
"Analyzing heresy investigations, estimating hideouts, tracking them, and sometimes considering legal grounds or political dynamics when their status is powerful. All inquisitors need administrative skill more than martial prowess."
"That's unexpected... I thought you just went around burning and tearing them up."
"A few do that."
Fernandez set down his pen, thinking briefly of the Demonica brothers.
-Kill! You heretic cultist scum!!
Even they only showed that side after deployment, until then striving their best...
-If you can't lift it, it's hard to prove your devotion!
-Don't worry, brothers! Urriyaap!
-Ma, Macto's lifting it three times!!
Hm. Fernandez sighed shortly and picked up his pen again. The scratching sound resumed until Everize stretched her back in exhaustion.
"This is a waste of time. Won't the next administration handle these anyway?"
"The problem is that the new administration, you, and I are all in the same boat."
Fernandez replied firmly to Everize's grumbling. She groaned.
Now that the Papal Court had announced the emperor's corruption by demons, Everize's position—unlike Prince Robert, who had opposed the emperor from the war's start—was extremely precarious.
With Robert holding real power in the Tremule family, she was no more than a disgraced noble's daughter without backing. For political and 'biological' survival, she had to ally with the next emperor.
Fortunately, Rene Filipa had ample reason not to kill her. But that didn't guarantee her lifeline afterward.
Once Rene's reign solidified post-succession, no justification to keep Everize alive would remain.
'That would be trouble.'
Like it or not, Everize was an archangel. Saving the world while keeping all four alive meant securing her a niche wisely.
Her merit in holding the crumbling capital's administration as the sole noble would surely help later.
Perhaps she'd survive as proxy lord of an imperial city.
"Ah... Sir Shiradast... save me."
"Speaking of which, what’s your relationship with Sir Shiradast?"
"He... saved me, right?"
Everize whispered, her cheeks faintly flushing. Fernandez stretched and straightened, looking at her.
"He came alone to the palace west tower swarming with horrific demons and sorcerers, smashing through traps, demons, and spells with his body..."
Fernandez could easily imagine it. An enraged Demonica charging like a mad bull, eyes rolled back.
-Make way, you heretic trash!!
No matter how he saw it, not swoon-worthy...
"I was so scared and sad. Suddenly imprisoned, suddenly covered in strange magic."
"Didn't work, I suppose?"
"Yes. Those incompetent sorcerers' spells couldn't harm me. Before blaming their failure, they imprisoned and experimented on me."
Everize's eyes glazed over. She recalled those days.
Bewildered that black magic failed, the sorcerers kidnapped the princess for tests.
Forcing horrific drugs down her throat, seating her on vile magic circles, endlessly chanting spells.
Then screams shook the tower.
* * *
"Cultist!! He's entered the second floor!"
"How did he infiltrate here? What are you all doing!"
"We... can't stop him!"
It was a sight she'd never seen. These supposedly pitiless, brutal humans trembling in fear.
Priests called her 'cultist' kept rushing up from the tower's top, reporting. Floors breached. Magic bypassed. Trap zones destroyed. Summoned demons slaughtered.
As all sorcerer measures failed and the cultist and high priests fell into panic, the final report came.
"Flee... Cultist. He's almost..."
-Kwachik!
A bluish iron sword pierced the gasping low priest's chest. Blood splattered across the cultist's face.
The skewered priest slid away, collapsing. From the open door's dark gap came the rattle of coiling chains.
"My path is guided by You; even in dark, deep night, I shall not stray lost..."
The door opened. A massive man in a tattered, frayed robe entered. Red blood flowed from deep wounds visible through torn cloth.
He pushed back his hood, scanning around. No, not scanning.
Blood streamed from his eyes. He was blind.
Revealing his face...
"Behold me. Witness your end, you pagans. Tremble at your sins. I am the sword of the Lord—."
-Kwachik!
"—and the wrath of the Lord—."
-Eudeuk!
One word, one priest crushed approaching him. Blind, yet his strikes pinpointed foes—near divine.
"He's alone! Can't even see! Attack!"
The cultist foamed, shouting. Silence fell. As if waiting, Zephys's head tilted slowly toward the voice.
Magic-twisted blood writhed in his eyes. They parted slowly, revealing bloodshot pupils. Killing intent to terrify hell's fiends.
"Repent."
-Kwaduk!
That ended it. Five high black mages became corpses in an instant. Amid flying limbs and bloodstorm, the robed man advanced step by step.
Everize thought then: If demons pave paths with innocents' blood, this man paves hell's road with demons' blood. Perhaps a true angel.
Maybe true angels weren't the radiant, spotless light of icons, but those treading hell with demon blood.
"Who are you?"
At her words, he paused. Then humbly bowed, snapping her binding chains barehanded.
"A sword-bearing fool."
* * *
Listening to Everize's fervent tales of Zephys's valor, Fernandez guessed his thoughts then. Somewhat romanticized, but if true...
'Brother Zephys must have panicked.'
Smashing demons in glee, flaunting Demonica might—fine. But asked who he was by a civilian, he froze.
...Excommunicated from the Inquisition, got too carried away? Zephys likely stammered, blurting "mercenary."
But not in Everize's eyes. Hero repelling evil with overwhelming power, saving the tower-trapped princess, humbly claiming mere mercenary without giving his name.
Picture-perfect knightly romance. Her sparkling eyes were burdensome.
"So, are you close with Sir Shiradast?"
"Somewhat... He personally taught me martial arts and experience."
"His disciple... of sorts!!"
Everize exclaimed brightly, stretching.
"Then, do you know Sir Shiradast's tastes? Preferred type?"
"Probably no ideal woman..."
Her face paled.
"A... sodomite... you say...?"
"No, what nonsense. I don't know if Brother Zephys vowed chastity, but he was chaste around me."
All inquisitors seemed that way. He'd never seen or heard one express interest in women. In his mind, they categorized as:
Enmagicka.
-Heretic relic! Must collect it!
-To the sealed shrine! This'll keep us busy days. Heh.
Heretica.
-Kekel, rip here and he won't resist betraying comrades?
-Don't repent yet, heretic. Save it for the pyre. Kehkeh.
And Demonica.
-Ooh... Brother Sergio deadlifted 350 pounds twelve times! Praise be!
-Macto Superlaudo! Brother! Your devotion doubled!
Never seen them talk women. Shaking off idle thoughts uncomfortably, Everize smiled broadly.
"Then you can help!"
"Huh?"
"I've met a few pious knights like Sir Shiradast! But none lived celibate forever!"
"Fair enough, but why me?"
"Black mage?"
Her eyes gleamed lion-like. She lowered her voice, chuckling slyly.
"You crushed the palace in one go."
"...No idea what you mean. That was the emperor..."
"That might convince Sir Shiradast. But not me. I know the magic you used."
"...What are you saying?"
"That massive mana blanketing the palace sky. Mana pillars shaped like hands... Don't know why, but I've seen it. Cruel, horrific sorcerer. Herald of destruction, death, slaughter. I saw that vision."
Her archangel soul blocked black magic, right?
He should have anticipated her soul awakening enough for that. Fernandez's eyes cooled.
"You remember your past life?"
"...Past life?"
"No, nothing."
Not that deeply assimilated yet?
But vague merging might have recalled shocking sights. Witnessing firsthand the magic archangels feared in her past life.
Then he needed her close. Other archangels had solid bases, leashes secured, but not Everize.
Her status was just a disowned noble lady. He needed control if she veered from plan.
"Guess I’ll seriously consider Brother Zephys's tastes."
"Hehe, you get my sincerity!"
"Brace yourself. He's never thought beyond killing."
"Does my resolve seem weak?"
"Very reliable."
Fernandez could marry Rene Filipa if needed. So Zephys might not escape it either. If plan required.
-Bastard.
'I'll take it as praise.'
Fernandez shrugged and gripped his pen again.
Work piled up regardless. At least before Rene Filipa entered the palace in days, coronation prep must finish.